Automatically controlled sprayer for centrifugals



Feb. 15; 1949. E. G. KOCHLI ET AL 2,461,741

AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLED SPRAYER FOR CENTRIFUGALS Filed Feb. 1, 1945 n H RCO Y 4 c mm M w L m2; J. R V v5 O mw w m EL 7 NR QSQi rum QQ \flh B .M 03 te m m G Nb. R. 3% Q FINS Q Q Q I \M N Q QM Q 9 RN 3 mm W u Q Patented Feb. 15, 1949 Ernest G. Kochli, Scarsdale, N. Y; and Charles A.

Olcott, West Milford, N. J.

, Application Februaryl, 1945, Serial No. 575,594

6 Claims.

This application relates to control apparatus ior centrifugal machines such as are used in drying and washing sugar and similar solids and more specifically to means vfor controlling the washing liquid used with said centrifugal machines;

It is an object of this invention to provide improved apparatus for controlling the distribution oiliquid used in washing the solid grains in sugar .centrifugals.

When sugar or similar material is treated in centrifugal machines, it is customary to spin the wet mas-secuite to throw off "the mother liquor and after this liquor has been spun off and while the machine is still'rotating at high speed, it is the practice to. spray, water or other washing fluidonto the material. In typical apparatus heretofore used. the valve controlling the spray for the washingfiuid ismounted on the curb surrounding-the centrifugal basket. On one side the valve is connected to the header for the washing fluid and on the other side to the spray nozzle through r suitable piping. When the valve is opened thepressure inthe header forces the wa ter through the s ray nozzle and onto thesu ar in the basket. When the valve is closed, the flow of water through the spray nozz e into the basket should cease a d. in fact. the forceful spraying does cease. However, an" objectionable amount o water dribb es through the spray nozz'le onto the dried sugar fortwo reasons. viz., (1) the nipe'between't e valve and the s raynozzle is'full of water'and this water finds its way slowly through thespray nozzle and falls onto the su ar atthe time the sugar 'is' still dry and in the process of be n discharged from the ba ket, and (2) "the control valve may com etely close only when in new condit on; and after on y a relatively short period of serviceit usually does not close tig t-but allows'a'small amount of water to trickle :through'and fall onto the sugar in the same' manneras'theires dual water in the pipe leadingto the spray nozzle. Because of the fact that the dribble resulting 'from'the outflow of the residual'water always occurs, the tendency of .fithex'valve to leak slightly is not'detected' until the flow becomes so'great' as to attract attention. All oi'his: time,.which might be several weeks, the dried'sugar receives. an objectionable amount of wash water at a time when it would not .be spun ofi; The tendency to leak applies especially to commercial .types of solenoid "valves frequently used 'inhthisizservice.

Itis another nbject bi thisYinventi'omtoprovlde '2 control means for the washing fluid which does not have the above-mentioned disadvantages.

In accordancewith a specific illustrative embodiment of theinvention, there is provided a three-port valve located on'the side of the curb at a level lowerthan that of the spray nozzle.

In this valve, the port leading to the spray nozzle is always open'an'd the port connected to the wash fluid header is open when the solenoid controlling the valve is energized and closed when the solenoid is deenergized. The third port, through which the' drip water flows, is closed when th solenoid is-energized and open when it is de-energized." The manner in which this arrangement accomplishes the result of preventing the drip into the dried sugar is asgfollows:

When the solenoid is energized, either by automatic or manual control means, the 'drip port is closed and the portto thewa-shing fluid header is open, thus permitting the washing fluid to flow to the spray nozzle and to wash the sugar. When the solenoid is 'de-ene'rgized the washing fluid pressure is cut off and the fluid in the spray pipe forms a siphon which draws the fluid back through the spray pipe away from the spray nozzle and down through the drip pipe instead .11 allowing it to dribble onto the dried sugar. Furthermore, if the port to the washing fluid header is'not' closed absolutelytight, any small drip which'occurs flows through the drip pipe instead of through the spray nozzle. The control valve therefore does not-require servicing when any very small amount of leakage takes place but requires attention only if the leak should develop to such proport ons that an objectionable waste of washing fluid occurs. Thus the period between servicings' is greatly prolongedand, furthermore'the sugar at all times is kept Tree of moisture resulting from the drip.

While the solenoid can be manually" con trolled by a push-button, automatic "control means for this solenoid is' also provided in accordance with this invention. An exemplary embodiment of this control means-comprises a limit switch operated by the movement of the mixer gate, and two electric'timers'. The limit switch is located'at a point where its lever will be moved by the normalfmovement of the. mixer gate used to load the centrifugal. When this gate is opened "both' timers are de-energized and re-'- turned to zero (reset). When the gate is closed the firstltimer immediately starts running. If the operator decides l to put. a little more: mas-secuite into thebasket and opens the gate to do so,

thesflrst timerimmediately returns to zero. 1 Thus the washing cycle does not begin until the gate is closed for the last time. Then the first timer runs for a predetermined time according to its setting, and when it times out energizes the solenoid valve, starting the spraying, and at the same time starts the second timer running. This second timer runs for whatever length of time it is desired to apply the spray and then times out and de-energizes the solenoid, stopping the spray. Both timers remain in a timed-out position while the centrifugal is running to spin off the wash water and during the-periodsof braking and discharging the basket. When a new cycle of operation starts and the mixer gate is opened, the timers then return to zero and the first timer starts running again only when the mixer gate is closed at the completion of the charging. If for any reason it becomes necessary to load the centrifugal basket and not spin it, or if for any other reason automatic spraying is not to take place, this spraying can be prevented by closing a. hand valve between the washing fluid header and the solenoid valve or, alternatively, a cut-off switch placed in the electric circuit leading to the timers can be opened. This switch, if desired, can be positioned so that when it is opened,'another switch causing the operation of the solenoid valve independently of the timers is closed.

The invention will be more readily understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a rotating basket for a centrifugal machine and control means, in accordance with the invention, for washing fluid therefor; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are schematic diagrams used to indicate the positions of the solenoid-controlled three-port valve shown in the arrangement of Fig. 1 when the solenoid is, respectively, energized and de-encrgized; and

Fig. 4 shows a modification of a portion of the circuit arrangement of Fig. 1.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, Fig.

1 shows, by way of example to illustrate the invention, a basket H] of a sugar centrifugal and associated apparatus for controlling itsloading and rotation and the washing of the massecuite therein at the proper times in each centrifuging cycle. The basket ID is surrounded by a suitable outer casing l I which has an opening lflat the top thereof through which the basket-can be loaded with massecuite from the spout !3 of a suitable mixer tank. The basket is supported and rotated by a spindle M which is driven by any well-known means such as, for example, an individual electric motor positioned above it. Supported from the outer casing H, such as by brackets l5 and i6, is a pipe I! terminating inside the basket at a spray member l8 and at a valve [9 outside the basket.

The valve [9 is positioned at a level below that of the spray member [8 and has three ports, one of them leading to the pipe [1, a. second being connected by a pipe 20, having a hand valve 2| therein, to a suitable source of washing fluid, such as a=water header-22, and the third one bein connected to a drip pipe 23 which may lead to a receptacle (not shown) 1 which can be connected through a pump to the water header. Reference will now be made to Figs, 2 and 3 which representschematically the on. and off,positi0ns of the valve I9. In the on position (Fig. 2), washing fluid from the header 22 is applied,

through the open valve 2|, the pipe 26, valve I9, pipe I! and spray iii, to the sugar grains in the basket It at the proper time in each centrifuging cycle. When the valve I9 is turned to the off (Fig. 3) position, the pipe 2|) to the header 22 is blocked and the passage from the pipe H to the drip pipe 23 is opened. The liquid in the spray pipe H forms a siphon which draws the liquid back through this pipe away from the spray nozzle l8, and down through the drip pipe 23, instead of allowing it to dribble on the sugar which has been dried by the centrifugal action of the rotating basket ii). A further advantage of this valve arrangement is that, even if the port to the header 22 should not be closed absolutely tight, any small drips which occur will flow through the drip pipe 23 instead of through the spray nozzle I8 positioned at a higher level than the valve l8. Thus the control valve it requires servicing only if a leak develops to such proportions that an objectionable waste ofv wash fluid occurs.

The valve It can be operated between its on and off positions at the proper times in each centrifuging cycle by handbut preferably this operation is accomplished by means of a solenoid 24 which is energized either by a manually operated switch 25 or by automatic means to be described below.

Power for operating the solenoid 24 is taken from the conductors Li and L2. The conductor moan have, if desired, a cutout switch 2-5 therein. Conductor L! is connected through a switch member 21, the action of which is controlled by the movement of the gate 28 in the mixer spout i3, and through Wire 29 to one terminal of the coil of the solenoid 24. This terminal of the coil is also connected by means of wire 30 to one terminal of the solenoid commonly called'a clutch coil 3! in electricaltimer tzlsometimes called timer No. 1) and through the limit switch 33 to one terminal of the motor 34 therein. The other terminals of the motor 34, and the clutch coil 3| are connected to the wire lead. 48 from switch 26 through a wire 35." The other terminal of the coil of the solenoid 24 is connected (1) by means of the wire 36 and the hand-operated switch 25 to the c'onductorLZ and to one'side of the switch 25 and (2) by means of the wire 3'5, normally closed contacts 38 Of the timer 39 (sometimes called timer No. 2) wire 4%, normally open contacts 40 of timer 32 andwire M to the wire lead 48. ConductorLl is'connected by means of wire 42 to one terminal of the clutch coil 43 and to one terminal of the motor 44 of timer 39. The other terminal of the clutch coil a3 is connected by means of wires 45 and 46 to thecontacts w of timer 32 while the other term-inal of the motor 46 is connected through the limit switch 41, and wires 45 and 45 to the contacts Ml.

The automatic operation of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 will ,now be described. The switch 21 is open whenever the gate 28 (on the spout of the mixer supplyingmassecuite to the centrifugal basket I0) is raised by pushingthe 1ever 50 upward. The operation of a switch like switch 21 by the movement of a mixer gate is described in detail in-C. A. Olcott Patent 2,148,320 issued Feb. 21, 1939,-so will not be further described in this application. A timer like timers Nos. 1 and 2 is also described in detail in'this Olcott patent. It is sufficient to point out herein that whenever the mixer gate Zilis open, the switch 21 breaks the circuit totimers Nos. 1 and 2 and they are deenergizedjand returned to'zero (reset). When switch 26 and the gate '28 is also closed, switch"?! isiclosed 'nd the circuit-from L1, switchill, "wire 29; wirer3llylimitswitch 33," mo torr34 .and{ wire- 35-to wire lead' lil'is cl'osed' as i alsojithe-circuitenergizing the-timer clutch coil 31 .1 After predetermined-time {interval long enough to permit thesugar grains in the basket to be dried,,the contacts are 'cl'osed'bythe timer mechanism-energizing 1') the circuit from conductor L l I through switch 21, wire '29; solenoid 24,-wire'fl3l; contacts 38;wire 46",-contacts' Ml and wire M to wire iead' 4-8 and-thence toLZand (2) the gci-r'cuit from conductor L2" through'switcli 245, wire lead 48, wire l-I1," contacts 'dfl'j wir'e '46, wire 45, contacts 41, motor Mf-andwire-AZ tothe con-- ductor L'l The energi'zationbf thefirst of these two circuits causes the operation of the 'valve l 9 to: the ;on" position- (the position illustrated by 2)" permitting: washing fluid to be applied from the source 22'through;pipe 20, valve lilfand pipe I! to the spray member 18; The energi-zation orthe second of theseicircuits startsthemotor .of :timerNo; 2 running and at the same time (as the "clutchcoil is'shunted across the motor 44 and the switch-A1),theclutch coil 43 is energized. Timer No; 2" runs for a predetermined time period (sufficiently long to spray the sugar grains in the centrifugal basket l) and thenpredetermined time beyond-that which is' ne'ces-- sary'ior the operation of the contacts. Upon deenergization of the clutch coil in each timer when the gate 28 is opened, the timer resets itself. Thus, if in the operation of the arrangement, the operator decides to put a little more massecuite into the basket and opens the gate 28 to do so, timer No. 1 immediately returns to zero. Thus the washing cycle does not begin until the gate 28 is closed for the last time. At any time that the switch 21 is closed, the solenoid 24 can be energized by closing the switch 25 (which is usually a palm-operated switch) If for any reason it is necessary to load the basket l0 and not spin it or if for any reason automatic spraying is not to take place, this spraying can be prevented by closing the hand valve M or by opening the switch 26 which isnormally closed. I

The operation of the timers Nos. 1 and 2 can be automatically synchronized with the rotation of the basket Ill in a manner similar to, that described in the above-mentioned Olcott patent, and also in Patent 2,244,652 issued June 3, 1941 to E. G. Kochli.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the switches 25 and 2b are combined in the form of one double throw push button switch, biased so that switch 26 is normally closed and switch 25 normally open. Thus pressing the button will close switch 25 and apply the manual control of the washing and at the same time open switch 26, cuttin out the timers and preventing their starting.

Although the present invention has been de scribed in terms of a preferred illustrative embodiment, it should be realized that the invention .I-neach timen'the limit switch and itsseveral features are susceptible of em bodiment in a wide :variety of other forms, hencethe invention is to beuhderstood as comprehending such other forms as may fairly come within the spirit and letter of the claims.

What isclaimed is:

1. The combination with acentrifugal machine having basket adapted to be cyclically rotated, of means for effecting the washing ofthe basket contents, said means comprising a spray member.

inside the basket, a source of washing fluid outside saidbasket, a pipe connectionbetween said source and said spray member to supply water to the latter, a portion of saidpipe connection being at a lower level'thansaicl spray member, a threeport valve in said lower'por tion of the pipe coning only two positions and the valve being arranged so that in one-of these two positionswashing fluid from said source is applied to said spray member'and the passage to said drain pipe is closed and in the other of which the spray memher is connected to said drain pipe and the passage from said source to said spray member is' ciosed.

2. The combination with a centrifugal machine having a basket adapted to be cyclically rotated, of means for efiecting the washing of the basket contents, said means comprising a spray member inside the basket, a source of washing fluid outside said basket, a pipe connection between said source and said spray member to supply water to the latter, a portion of said pipe connection being at a lower level than said spray member, a three port valve in said lower portion of the pipe connection, a downwardly extending drain pipe completely outside said basket and having its upper portion connected to one of the ports of said valve, the other two ports of said valve being connected respectively to said source and to said spray member, said valve being. of the type having only two positions and the valve being arranged so that in one of these two positions washing fluid from said source is applied to said spray member and the passage to said drain pipe is closed and in the other of which the spray memher is connected to said drain pipe and the passage from said source to said spray member is closed, a solenoid for operating said valve between its two positions, and means for energizing and deenergizing said solenoid.

3. The combination with a centrifugal machine having a basket adapted to be cyclically rotated, of means for effecting the washing of the basket contents, said means comprising a spray member inside the basket, a source of washing fluid outside said basket, a pipe connection between said source and said spray member to supply water to the latter, a portion of said pipe connection being at a lower level than said spray member, a three-port valve in said lower portion of the pipe connection, a downwardly extending drain pipe completely outside said basket and having its upper portion connected to one of the ports of said valve, the other two ports of said valve being connected respectively to said source and to said spray member, said valve being of the type having only two positions and the valve being arranged so that in one of these two positions washing fluid from said source is applied to said spray member and the passage to said drain pipe is closed and in the other of which the spray member is connected to said drain pipe and the passage from said source to said spray member is closed, a solenoid for operating said valve between its two positions, and electrical timer means for energizing and deenergizing said solenoid.

4. The combination with a centrifugal machine having a basket adapted to be cyclically rotated, of means for effecting the washing of the basket contents, said means comprising a spray member inside the basket, a source of washing fluid outside sai-d basket, a pipe connection between said source and said spray member to supply water to the latter, a portion of said pipe connection being at a lower level than said spray member, a threeport valve in said lower portion of the pipe connection, a downwardly extending drain pipe completely outside said basket and having its upper portion connected to one of the ports of said valve, the other two ports of said valve being connected respectively to said source and to said spray member, said valve being of the type having only two positions and the valve being arranged so that in one of these two positions washing fluid from said source is applied to said spray member and the passage to said drain pipe is closed and in the other of which the spray member is connected to said drain pipe and the passage from said source to said spray member is closed, a solenoid for operating said valve between its two positions, and electrical timer means for energizing and deenergizing said solenoid, said electrical timer means comprising a source of power, two electrical timers each including a motor and a set of contacts therein, those in the first timer being normally open andthose in the second timer being normally closed and both sets being adapted to have this relationship reversed a predetermined time, which may be different for each timer, after the corresponding motor is started, circuit means for energizing the motor of said first timerfrom said source, additional circuit means actuated by the closing of the contacts in said first timer for energizing said solenoid and for starting the motor of said second timer, and further circuit means initiated by the opening of the contactsin said second timer for deenergizing said solenoid.

5. The combination of elements as in claim 4 in further combination with manually controlled gate means for loading the basket, and contact means operated by the movement of the gate means to the closed position for controlling the operation of said circuit means for energizing the motor of said first timer.

6. The combination of elements as in claim 4 inefurther combination with manually operated means for controlling the energization of said solenoid from said source of power, and electric circuit meansfor rendering said timers incapable of operation when said manually operated means is utilized. V

ERNEST G. KOCHLI. CHARLES A. OLCOTT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the I file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany Jan. 22, 1900 

